Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm 5-231 Box 50167 Honolulu, Hawaii 96850 Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Planning Update Number 1, November 2009 Address Correction Requested Coral garden in Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge’s lagoon / Greg Sanders, USFWS 6 Help Us Plan for the Future! Over the next month, the U.S. participation in the planning However, we have an opportunity You are invited to the first Open House Public Scoping Meetings Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) process for the Refuge. As we to consider whether public will be seeking input from the begin this planning process, we programs such as environmental Meetings will be held in the Manu‘a islands during November. They will be advertised locally. public, interested agencies, are provided the opportunity to education and wildlife observation and organizations regarding look at our habitat management may be possible and to review One meeting will be held on the island of Tutuila at the Utulei Convention Center on Thursday, their interests, concerns, and and public programs from fresh our management of habitats such November 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. viewpoints about important perspectives. as coral reefs, sand islands, and refuge management issues. This Pisonia forest. Your insights and We hope to see you there! information will be helpful in the Currently, the Refuge is closed observations are needed to provide production of a Comprehensive to the public to protect nesting a more complete and thoughtful Conservation Plan (CCP) for seabirds and rare marine life that process. the Rose Atoll National Wildlife reside at the atoll. The purpose of How Do I Contact the Service or Provide Comments? Refuge, which will be incorporated the Refuge will remain the same Please share your ideas with us into a Rose Atoll Marine National as when the area was set aside “for by attending upcoming public meetings (see page 6 for details) or For more information on the National Wildlife Refuge Monument Management Plan. the conservation, management and protection of its unique by submitting written comments to or to provide your comments: This is the first in a series and valuable fish and wildlife the refuge (see page 6 for contact Don Palawski, Project Leader of planning updates to keep resources.” information). Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge you informed and invite your 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Box 50167 Honolulu, HI 96850 Public Open House Meeting Phone: (808) 792-9550 A Public Open House Meeting will be held November 19, 2009, in Pago Pago Fax: (808) 792-9586 E-mail: [email protected] (see page 6 for details). Web: http://www.fws.gov/roseatoll/ Octopus cyanea on Rose Atoll / Greg Sanders, USFWS Your participation is critical to the success of this effort – we want to hear from you! 2 5 National Wildlife What? Preliminary Issues to be Considered In preparing the CCP, a range of forest, sea turtle nesting, seabird Protection of Natural, Historic, Refuges are places where wildlife comes first. The National Wildlife possible alternative management nesting, shorebirds) and Cultural Resources Refuge System comprises the world’s largest collection of lands approaches will be explored and • Marine habitat protection and • Threats to the islands and reefs set aside specifically for wildlife and provides important habitat for evaluated, including current restoration (for coral reefs, giant (unauthorized trespass, illegal native plants and animals. The National Wildlife Refuge System is management practices. The effects clams, marine mammals, sea fishing, marine debris, shipwrecks, administered by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife of the various alternatives on the turtles, seabirds, and fishes) and invasive species) Service, the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, biological resources and local • Public awareness and protecting, and enhancing the nation’s fish and wildlife populations communities will be evaluated in Visitor Services Activities understanding and their habitats for the benefit of the American people. an Environmental Assessment • Wildlife observation and in accordance with the National photography Other topics The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is: Environmental Policy Act. • Environmental education • Scientific exploration and • Public visitation via sail or research “To administer a national network of lands and waters for the The planning team has motorized boat • Monitoring and enforcement conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of identified some potential issues • Permitting to be considered during CCP the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the © Phillip Colla United States for the benefit of present and future generations of development. We want to hear Americans.” A single, narrow, shallow channel your comments on these issues, with a minimum depth of 8 feet and any other topics of concern, at links the lagoon to the sea. The our public meetings (see page 6). Refuge Overview lagoon is a maximum of 1.2 miles If you aren’t able to attend one of Rose Atoll is located approximately National Wildlife Refuges located wide and up to about 65 feet deep, our public meetings, please submit 130 nautical miles east-southeast south of the equator. and includes 1,575 acres. Rose and your comments in writing to the of Pago Pago Harbor, American Sand Islands cover areas of about Refuge (see page 6 for contact Samoa, and is the easternmost Rose Atoll is nearly square, with 14 and 7 acres respectively, and information), by December 31, Samoan island and is one of two the ocean-side slopes about 1 mile rise a mere 8 feet above sea level. 2009. atolls in the Samoan Archipelago. in length. It is one of the smallest It is the southernmost unit of the atolls in the world, consisting of Rose Atoll is part of the Territory Wildlife and Habitat Resources National Wildlife Refuge System two low sandy islets, Rose and of American Samoa and was • Terrestrial habitat protection and shares the distinction with Sand. Each is located on a coralline established as a National Wildlife and restoration (for the Pisonia Jarvis Island of being the only algal reef rim enclosing a lagoon. Refuge by cooperative agreement between the Government of American Samoa and FWS on August 24, 1973. Tridacna Maxima / Jim Maragos, USFWS Despite its small size, Rose Atoll supports the largest populations Tentative Planning Schedule of giant clams, nesting sea turtles, nesting seabirds, and rare species Schedule dates are tentative and subject to change as the of reef fish in American Samoa. planning process progresses. To date, about 270 species of fish have been recorded at the atoll. Planning Step Target Date The two islands are important Planning Update 1 issued November 2009 nesting sites for the threatened green turtle in American Samoa. Public Meetings November 2009 Satellite tags attached to the Planning Update 2 issued February 2010 nesting green turtles at Rose have Planning Update 3 issued August 2010 shown that these turtles migrate Public Review/Comment between American Samoa and on Draft CCP/EA September 2010 other Pacific island nations (i.e., Final CCP January 2011 Rose Atoll / Greg Sanders,USFWS Fiji and French Polynesia). In © Phillip Colla 3 addition to the migratory breeding 12 species of federally protected than 50 feet from fishing within population of turtles at the atoll migratory seabirds including terns, 50 nautical miles of Rose Atoll. In during the nesting season (August noddies, boobies, frigatebirds, 2004, the National Marine Fisheries to February), a small resident and tropicbirds. Only 1 year after Service established a no fishing population of juveniles apparently removal of rats in 1993, two species zone that extends outside of the lives on the atoll. Endangered of shearwaters (wedge-tailed and atoll to a depth of 50 fathoms hawksbill turtles have also been Christmas Island) were sighted (300 feet). In recent years, most seen in the lagoon, although it is not on Rose Island, the first such management attention at Rose known if they nest on the islands. burrowing seabirds recorded on Atoll by FWS has been focused on Rose. removing the 120-foot Taiwanese Rose Atoll is the most important longline fishing vessel F/V Jin seabird colony in the region, since The Refuge has been closed to Shiang Fa, which ran aground on approximately 97 percent of the public uses since its establishment the southwest perimeter reef at seabird population of American to protect the natural resources Rose Atoll in October 1993. The Samoa resides on Rose. The of this small atoll. In 2002, last remaining debris was removed two islands provide important the National Marine Fisheries from the atoll in 2007, and FWS nesting and roosting habitat for Service prohibited vessels longer continues to monitor reef recovery. Rose Atoll Marine National Monument On January 6, 2009, President support a dynamic reef ecosystem Presidential Proclamation George W. Bush established that is home to a very diverse 8337 assigned management the Rose Atoll Marine National assemblage of terrestrial and responsibility for the Rose Atoll Monument (MNM) by signing marine species, many of which are MNM to the Secretary of the Presidential Proclamation 8337 threatened or endangered. One of Interior, in consultation with the under the authority of the the most striking features is the Secretary of Commerce. Through Antiquities Act of 1906. The lands, pink hue of fringing reef caused by Secretary’s Order January submerged lands, waters, and the dominance of coralline algae. 16, 2009, the Secretary of the marine environment of Rose Atoll Interior delegated management responsibility for the Monument to the FWS Director. The Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA, has primary management responsibility for fishery-related activities regarding the management of the marine areas of the Monument seaward of mean low water. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service will be developing regulations for fishery- related activities.